The Supreme Court’s holding in the Arizona public financing case will create problems for the current full public funding
systems in Arizona, Maine and Connecticut. But it is important to underline what the decision did not do. The decision
did not strike down public financing per se. It struck down a provision that gave a participating candidate extra public
money to respond to a high spending opponent or independent spending. But the Court also left the door wide open for other
forms of public financing. Neither the pending congressional nor presidential public financing bills would be barred by
the Arizona decision. Public financing remains a viable policy option for empowering small donors. Policy makers should
not let this decision lead them to think otherwise.

Michael J. Malbin is executive director of the Campaign Finance Institute and Professor of Political Science at the University at Albany, State University of New York.

The Campaign Finance Institute is a nonpartisan research institute based in Washington DC. Statements of the Campaign Finance Institute or its staff do not necessarily reflect the views of CFI's trustees or financial supporters.